The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-06-08

gold were on her dainty hands, and on
one arm glinted and winked in all its
barbaric hideousness the gold and ruby
serpent.
Ny uncle Toasted his eyes on the
rarely lovely picture she made as She
stood in the soft glow of the wax tap
ers, till movement of her rounded
arm brought to view the fatal brace
let. He thought it some trinket she
had lately bought, but to his idle ques-
ton she made some evasive answer,
which reused his jealous nature, and
he pounced on the ugly thing and was
about to tear it from her arm when the
locket flew open and a mans face
looked up at him. In his blind fury
he struck her from him and rushed,
cursing, from her room.
Dolores was SO panic stricken at the
absurd turn her expected fun had
taken that she was unable TO move,
but crouching among the curtains
where her husband had hurled her, she
heard the clatter of horses hoofs and
knew that he had gone off in rage
and she would see him no more for
hours-such was his habit-anddt oc-
casioned her no uneasiness, but,
strange consistency, she was growing
to love him, and dropping down before
the crucitix on her dressing table she
cried bitterly, and vowed by the holy
virgin never to torment him so again.
A singing sensation in her arm
claimed her attention and an eXamina-
ton showed that her husband, in his
anger, had crushed the rough gold of
her bracelet into the tender flesh, till
her wrist bore wide mark of blood;
it had dried into the scales of the
snake, and dripped down among her
laces. With shrill scream she tried
to unclasp it, but the catch was bent
and would not give way. Her cry of
terror brought her maid to the room,
but their united efforts could not undo
the clasp. Finally Dolores said: Let
it be until Senior Salazar returns, he
can break it,"
, "Senor Perfecto was in a terrible
passion when he rode away. His face
was like death, and Diablo has not
been ridden for weeks. I'm afraid
there will be mischief done tonight. I"
Dolores did not reprove the laxative
maid, but walking to the window
peered anXiously out. Her vision was
bounded by four walls above which
she could see but little blue sky. She
turned back with a dreadful fear at
her heart.
How strange! it has clouded up
since Sunday. 1t will storm before
daybreak, L fear"
Indeed it will, Sonora. The heaven
is black now. Will you want the car
riage tonight. Jose is waiting for or
ders.n
mo, unless Senior SalaZar returns, /
will remain at home. Come with me;
perhaps we can hear if he is coming"
Throwing a rebosa over her head and
shoulders, she caught UP her trailing
draperies, and together they passed
out into the gathering darkness, and
assembled to the roof.
The outlook was forbidding indeed.
Above the Sandoval mountains the
snow clouds were drifting their soft
covering, while over the mesa and
plain the bleak winds from He'll canon
were roaring in mad fury.
(Which road did Senior Salazar
take?" asked Dolores as they turned
from their fruitless errand to descend
the stairway.
1.-The north one toward the canon,
Sonora"
Il feared so much" shivered DOlo-
res, "but ii cannot now be helped, and
entering her own room again, she laid
aside her jewels and laces, and slipping
into soft crimson robe, she crouched
down on pile of furs before the fire.
place and waited.
Midnight came, but still no husband,
and rising from her furs, chilled to the
heart, the fire burned to white ashes, Do
lores tried to pierce the blackness of the
winter sky. No comfort there. The
storm unheard through the thick walls
was believing and tearing over the
mountain in mad frenzy, and snow was
piled in great drifts about the statuary
in the placita.
This is terrible Storm" Dolores
muttered to herself. Il cannot re-
member one like it. Perfecto must
have sought refuge somewhere and l
may as well,tetire."
Christmas morning dawned as fair
as though storm had never blackened
the face of the blue sky. The world
looked pure and most lovely under the
thick white mantle glistening in the
sunlight, and told no tales of the wild
nights doings.
Some miners far up the mountain
side, concluding that winter was upon
them, gathered up their scanty belong
ings and sought the lower level. They
came upon heap in the bottom of the
conon, where the road ran between two
walls of rocks which rose perpendicu-
lar 200 feet. 1t proved to be horse
and rider, crushed beyond all hope of
life remaining.
Went over the cliff in the storm
last night" was the terse comment, as
thep raised the mangled form of the
man and prepared to carry it down the
mountain.
''Howly mother save u.s." calculated
one of the party, as he brushed the
snow from the dead face. Its Senior
SalaZar.n
And so it was. In his mad ride he
had spurred his horse too close to the
cliff, and went over the side into the
canon, and it was this that Dolores had
feared, when she asked the road he
had taken. | need not dwell OH the
scene in his home when they carried
his lifeless body and laid it in her